Lift



Jan' 26, 1960 P. L. LA BARGE, JR 2,922,533

LIFT

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 30, 1957 fw of. awww/,

` w @we a .wlwhm Jan- 26, 1960 P. LA BARGE, JR 2,922,533

LIFT

Filed nec. so, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent LIFT Pierre L.La Barge, Jr., St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Labarge Pipe and SteelCompany, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application December30, 19'57, Serial No.v 705,884

7 Claims. (Cl. 214-1) This invention relates to lifts, and moreparticularly to a hydraulic lift for pipe.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision ofa hydraulic lift of simplified and economical construction for handlingheavy pipe, such as steel pipe; the provision of a lift of this classwhich is useful, for example, for raising a pipe into position for beingentered in a pipe threading machine and for lowering the pipe after ithas been threaded; and the provision of a lift of this class lwhich actsautomatically to eject a pipe upon lowering. Other objects and featureswill be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 1 Y

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafterdescribed, the scope of the invention being indicated in the followingclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possibleembodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. 1 isa side elevation of a hydraulic pipe lift of this invention,showing a platform and a pipe cradle thereof in a raised position;

Fig. 2 is an end View of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan View `of Fig. 1, with parts broken away and shown insection, and illustrating in dotted lines a moved position of the pipecradle;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the platform and the pipecradle being lowered;

Fig. 5 is an end View of Fig. 4, with parts broken away and shown insection;

Fig. 6 is a fragment of Fig. 5 showing the platform and cradle in theirlowermost position; and,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, a hydraulic pipe lift of this invention isshown to comprise a base 1 and a platform 3 mounted on the base by meansof a parallelogram linkage 5 for being raised and lowered whileremaining substantially horizontal. The base 1 comprises a long narrowrectangular base plate 7, channels 9 extending along the sides of thebase plate and channels 11 extending along the ends of the base plate.'I'he platform 3 comprises side channels 13 and end channels 15supporting a top plate 17. Channels 13 have their open sides directedinward.

The parallelogram linkage 5 comprises a horizontal top frame 19supporting the platform and shiftable lengthwise relative to theplatform. Frame 19 comprises a pair of transverse shafts 21 and 23 whichare tied together by links 25. These shafts have rollers 27 at theirends which ride in the side channels 13 of the platform 3. Linkage `5further comprises a rst pair of links 29 having their lower ends pivotedas indicated at 31 to the base adjacent one end of the base (its rightend as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4) and their upper ends pivoted asindicated at 33 to the-shaft Z1, and a second and 2,922,533 PatentedJan. 26, 1960 parallel pair of links 35 having their lower ends pivotedas indicated at '37 to the base and their upper ends pivoted asindicated at 39 to the shaft 23. A pair of links 41 is pin-connected at43 to links 29 and pin-connected at 45 t0 the side channels 13 of theplatform 3 for maintaining the platform against endwise movementrelative to the base while allowing raising and lowering thereof.

As shown, each of the links 29 and 35 is constituted by a length ofsteel pipe and each of links 41 is a at bar. Welded to each of the links29 is a triangular plate 47. Welded to the base on the inside of theside channels 9 of the base and outside of the links 29 are triangularplates 49 arranged with the edges 51 thereof inclined upward in thedirection toward the right end of the lift as viewed in Figs. 1 and 4.Plates 49 serve as ramps. A hydraulic cylinder 53 is pivoted at one endthereof as indicated at 55 on the base plate 7 and extends to the rightfrom the pivot 55. A piston rod 57 extends from a piston 59 in thecylinder out of the forward (right) end of the cylinder. On the end ofthe piston rod is a crossbar 61 carrying rollers 63 riding on theinclined edges 51 of plates 49 and rollers 65 engaging the plates 47 onlinks 29. The arrangement is such that with the piston rod completelyretracted, the platform 3 occupies the lowermost position in ywhich itis illustrated in Fig. 6, engaging posts 67 adjacent the corners of thebase 1. When the piston rod is extended, rollers 63 ride up the edges'51of plates 49 and rollers 65 push on plates 47 to swing the links 29clockwise as .viewed in Fig. 4. This swings the linkage '5 upward andraises the platform 3 Without moving the platform endwise in view of theshifting of frame 19 relative to the platform.

A pipe cradle 69 is mounted on the platform 3 for rotation on agenerally vertical axis. As shown, cradle 69 comprises a circular centerplate 71 rotary on a pin 73 extending up from a thrust plate 75 mountedon the top plate 17 of the platform. Ball bearings 77 are interposedbetween plates 71 and 75. A nut 79 is threaded on pin 73 to hold theplate 7:1 thereon. Secured on the plate 71 are two parallel horizontalchannel bars 81. These are longer than the platform 3. Transverse bracesfor these channel bars are indicated at 82. Bars 81 carry groovedpipe-supporting rollers 83. These rollers are mounted on shafts 85extending between the bars 81. Supports S7 for the cradle are providedadjacent the ends of the platform. The cradle is provided with lateralextensions 89.

Means is provided for latching the rotatable cradle 69 in a positionaligned with the platform 3. As shown best in Fig. 7, this meanscomprises a vertical latch pin 91 having a connection at 93 with aradial arm 95 on a shaft 97 journalled in the cradle bars 81 above theplate 71. The pin 91 is slidable in a hole 99 in plate 71 and in atubular guide 101 on plate 71. The pin 91 is biased downwardly by aspring 1193 reacting from a cap 105 threaded on guide 191 against acollar 107 0n the pin. The plate 75- has a hole at 109 on thelongitudinal center line of the platform -for receiving the pin to latchthe cradle in a position aligned with the platform. Plate 75 may alsohave a hole diametrically opposite hole 109 for latching the cradle in aposition removed from the stated position aligned with the platform. Foroperating the latch pin 91, shaft 97 has cranks 111 at its ends outsidethe cradle bars 31, and long rods 113 extending from the cranks to theends of the bars 31 for effecting rotation of shaft 97 from one end orthe other of the cradle.

Means is provided -for ejecting a pipe from the cradle upon loweringthereof, the cradle being aligned with the platform. As shown, thismeans comprises a pair of levers 115, one at each end of the base 1,each lever being pivotally mounted intermediate its ends as indicated at117 on a post 119 at the respective end of the base for swinging on ahorizontal axis extending lengthwise of the base. Each lever normallyoccupies the lowered retracted horizontal position'A as illustrated inFig. 6, determined byv engagement of the lever with a' stop 121' on thepost, being gravity biased to ythis position. Each lever has an upwardlyextending inclined arm 123 at its inner end, and a member 125 pivoted atits outer end as indicated at 127. Member 125 is iformed with a il'atend portion 129 eng'ageable with a shoulder 131 on the lever todetermine a limiting position of member 125 projecting straight out fromthe outer end of the lever, and is also formed with an arcuate edgeportion at 133 so that it may swing up relative to the lever (see thedotted line position of member 125 illustrated in Fig. 6). At each endof the platform 3 there is provided a lug 135 for engaging therespective member 125.

Operation is as follows:

With the pipe cradle 69 in its lowermost position, arid with each lever115 in the lowered position illustrated in Fig. 6, a pipe P may berolledy onto the cradle over the extensions 39 on the right side of thelift, the pipe coming to rest in the grooved rollers 83. A suitablerollway (not shown) may be provided on this side of the lift for rollingpipe onto the lowered cradle. To raise the pipe, the piston rod 57 isextended, thereby swinging the parallelogram linkage 5 upward, andraising the platform 3 and the cradle 69 with the pipe thereon. Normallythe pipe cradle will be latched by means of the latch pin 91 in positionaligned with the platform 3 as illustrated in solid lines in Fig'. 3. Asthe parallelogram linkage 5 swings upward, the yframe 19 at the upperend of the link'- age shifts its position relative to the platform 3',moving closer to the right endy of the platform. The links' 41 restrainthe platform from moving endwise relative to the base so that theplatform remains substantially directly above the base. v

The lift may be positioned in tandem with a pipe threading machine, forexample, being so located that, with the pipe cradle aligned with theplatform, a pipe thereon may be raised to a position coaxial with themachine. Thereupon, the pipe may be moved endwise on rollers 83 into themachine for threading. After threading it is moved back out of themachine, and then the platform and cradle may be lowered to lower thepipe by retracting the piston rod 57. Upon retraction of the piston rod,the linkage 5 swings down (compare Figs. l and 4). The platform remainsdirectly above the base without any substantial endwise shifting'. Asthe platform approaches its lowermost position, lugs 135 engage thepivoted members 125 on levers 115, and act to swing these leverscounter'- yclockwise @from the retracted position illustrated in Fig. 6to the position illustrated in Fig. 5. The arms 123 of the levers 115enter between the bars S1. of the cradle 69 and act to push the pipe oifthe cradle to the left as viewed in Fig. 5, the pipe rolling off overthe left-hand extensions 89. A suitable rollway (not shown) may beprovided at the left side of the lift for rolling pipe away from thelowered cradle. As the cradle 69 completes its descent, the lugs 135ride off the pivoted members 125, and the levers 115 are released toswing back to their lowered retracted positions. Accordingly, arms 123of the levers are moved down below the cradle and out of the way so thatthe next pipe may be rolled onto the cradle. When the platform israised, lugs 135 move upward therewith and engage the pivoted members125, but simply swing them upward and aside without moving the levers11S.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter Contained in the above description or sho'wn in the accompanyingdraw- 4, ings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim:

l. A hydraulic pipe lift comprising a base, a platform, -a linkagemounting the platform on the base for being raised and lowered while'remaining substantially horizontal, means comprising a hydrauliccylinder and piston for operating the linkage to raise and lower theplatform, a pipe cradle mounted on the platform for rotation on agenerally vertical` axis comprising a pair of barsk and pipesupportingrollers carried by and extending' between the bars, means for latchingthe cradle in a position aligned with the platform, means carried by thebase in' position to enter between the barsv of the cradle when theplatform and aligned cradle are lowered for ejectng a pipe from thecradle comprising a pivoted lever swingable upward from a loweredretracted position wherein it is so located as to allovvia` pipe to be'rolled ontoV the cradle when the platform and cradle are lowered, yandmeans on the plat'- form for engaging the lever `to swing it upward asthe platform isJ lowered, said lever having a pivoted one-way memberengage'able by said means on the platform as the platform is lowered forraising and then releasing the lever Yfor return of the lever toretracted position, said member allowing for raising of the platformwithout actuating the lever.

2'. A hydraulic pipe lift comprising a base, a platform, a parallelogramlinkage mounting the platform on the base for' being raised and loweredwhile remaining substantially horizontal, said linkage comprising aframe supporting the platform and shiftable lengthwise relative to theplatform, a rst pair of links having their lower ends pivoted on thebase' adjacent one endl of the base `and their upper endspivot'ed tosaidframe, and a second pair'of links parallel tothe first pair having theirlower ends pivoted on the base and their upper ends pivoted to saidframe, additional links connecting one of said pairs of links and theplatform, a hydraulic cylinder having one end pivoted on the basel andextending toward said one end of the base, a piston rod extending out ofthe other end of the' cylinder, ramp means comprising a pair of plateson the base, roller means on the piston r'od engageable with' said rampmeans and with said first links for swinging the cylinder and theparallelogram linkage upward upon extension of the pistonV rod from thecylinder, each of said plates having an edge engageable by said roller'means which edge is inclined upward in the direction toward said: oneend of the base, a pipe cradle mounted on the platform for rotation on agenerally vertical axis, said cradle comprising a pair of bars andpipe-supporting rollers carried by the'l bars extending between thebars, means for latchingthe cradle in a position aligned withtheplatform, means carried by the base in" position to enter between thebars of the cradle when the platform and raligned cradle are lowered forpushing a pipe laterally olf the cradle, saidv pushing meansl comprisinga pivoted lever' swingable upward from a lowered retracted position,and' means on' the platform for engaging theV lever to swing it upwardas the platform is lowered. Y

3. A hydraulic pipe lift as set forth in claim 2 wherein thelever has a,pivoted one-way member engageable by said means on the platform as theplatform is lowered for raising and then releasing the lever, saidmember allowing for raising of the` platform without actuating thelever.

4. A pipe lift comprising a base, a pipe cradle, a linkage mounting thecradle on the base for being raised and lowered while remainingsubstantially horizontal, means for operating the linkage to raise `andlower the cradle, an ejector carried by the base for ejecting a pipefrom the cradle when the cradle is lowered, said ejector being movableupward from a' lowered retracted position wherein it is so' located asvto allow a pipe to' be rolled onto the cradle when the cradle islowered, means movable with the cradle' for actuating s'ai'd` ejectortoI move it upward as the cradle is lowered, and means providing forone-way actuation of said ejector by said means movable with the cradleas the cradle is lowered for raising and then releasing said ejector,said one-way means allowing for raising of the cradle without actuatingthe ejector.

5. A pipe lift comprising a base, a pipe cradle, a linkage mounting thecradle on the base for being raised and lowered while remainingsubstantially horizontal, means for operating the linkage to raise andlower the cradle, an ejector carried by the base for ejecting a pipefrom the cradle when the cradle is lowered, said ejector comprising apivoted lever swingable upward from a lowered retracted position whereinit is so located as to allow a pipe to be rolled onto the cradle whenthe cradle is lowered, means movable with the cradle for engaging saidlever to swing it upward as the cradle is lowered, said lever having apivoted one-way member engageable by said means movable with the cradleas the cradle is lowered for rais,- ing and then releasing said leverfor return of the lever to retracted position, said one-way memberallowing for raising of the cradle without actuating the lever.

6. A hydraulic pipe lift comprising a base, a platform, a parallelogramlinkage mounting the platform on the base for being raised and loweredwhile remaining substantially horizontal, said linkage comprising aframe supporting the platform and shiftable lengthwise relative to theplatform, parallel links pivoted at their lower ends to the base yand attheir upper ends to the frame, means connecting said parallelogramlinkage and said platform for maintaining the platform against endwisemovement relative to the base while allowing raising and loweringthereof, means comprising a hydraulic cylinder and piston for swingingsaid parallelogram linkage to raise and lower the platform, saidcylinder being pivotally mounted at one end on said base, said pistonhaving a piston rod extending through the other end of the cylinderoperable on said parallelogram linkage to eiect swinging thereof, a pipecradle mounted on the platform for rotation on a generally Verticalaxis, means for latching the cradle in a position aligned with theplatform, and means operable in response to lowering of the platform andcradle for pushing a pipe laterally off the cradle when the latter is insaid position aligned with the platform.

7. A hydraulic pipe lift comprising a base, a platform, a parallelogramlinkage mounting the platform on the base for being raised and loweredwhile remaining substantially horizontal, said linkage comprising aframe supporting the platform and shiftable lengthwise relative to theplatform, a iirst pair of links having their lower ends pivoted on thebase adjacent one end of the base and their upper ends pivoted to saidframe, and a second pair of links parallel to the first pair havingtheir lower ends pivoted on the base and their upper ends pivoted tosaid frame, additional links connecting one of said pairs of links andthe platform, a hydraulic cylinder having one end pivoted on the baseand extending toward said one end of the base, a piston rod extendingout of the other end of the cylinder, ramp means on the base, rollermeans on the piston rod engageable with said ramp means and with saidfirst links for swinging the cylinder and the parallelogram linkageupward upon extension of the piston rod from the cylinder, said rampmeans comprising a pair of plates on the base, each plate having an edgeengageable by said roller means which edge is inclined upward in thedirection toward said one end of the base, a pipe cradle mounted on theplatform for rotation on a generally vertical axis, said cradlecomprising a pair of bars and pipe-suppoiting rollers carried by thebars extending between the bars, means for latching the cradle in aposition aligned with the platform, and means carried by the base inposition to enter between the bars of the cradle when the platform andaligned cradle are lowered by pushing a pipe laterally off the cradle.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,862,516 Powell lune 7, 1932 2,189,010 Lewis lFeb. 6, 1940 2,211,474Muller Aug. 13, 1940 2,480,916 Gibson Sept. 6, 1949 2,535,979 WhitteDec. 26, 1950 2,587,067 -Sachtleber Feb. 26, 1952 2,617,547 Pridy Nov.11, 1952 2,785,807 Prowinsky Mar. 19, 1957

